Sunday, May 18, 2008
The Holy Trinity: Garden Blessing
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity,
+ one God, the source of life,
the word of salvation,
the spirit of mercy.
Amen.
Let us confess our sins to God,
who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger,
and abounding in steadfast love.
God of compassion,
we confess that we have failed to bear witness
that you desire to draw all people to yourself.
In our hearts we have thought ill of those
who differ from us,
and our love of others has not been genuine.
We have been caught up in the cares of the world.
We have neglected opportunities
to welcome the stranger,
to feed the hungry,
and to mend broken relationships.
Forgive our sins, merciful God,
that our hearts may burn with love for you
and for those in need,
and that our lives may witness
to your never-failing love for your creation.
Amen.
Brothers and sisters,
buried with Christ by baptism into his death,
your sins are forgiven.
The death Christ died, he died to sin, once for all;
but the life he lives, he lives to God.
So you also, by the power of the Holy Spirit,
are dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Amen.
Rev. 5/13/2008 1
GATHERING SONG ELW 413 Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!
Rev. 5/13/2008 2
GREETING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
OPENING DIALOG
O Creator God, with your breath you created light and darkness.
And it was good.
By your word, you created the heavens.
And it was good.
You created the dry land of earth, and the waters of the seas.
And it was good.
By your word,. you called forth growing things: plants, fruit, trees.
And it was good.
You created the sun and the moon to order the days and nights.
And it was good.
You created the living creatures in the waters, and the living creatures of the air.
And it was good.
You created the living creatures of the land: cattle, and wild animals; everything that
moves upon the land.
And it was good.
By your word, you created humankind–both female and male–to care for the earth
and all that is over, on and in it. And to these new creatures, you gave everything that
you had made.
And it was good. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray.
Almighty Creator and ever-living God: we worship your glory, eternal Three-inOne, and we praise your power, majestic One-in-Three. Keep us steadfast in this
faith, defend us in all adversity, and bring us at last into your presence, where you
live in endless joy and love, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
FIRST READING: Genesis 1:1—2:4a
* #2
slide #1: preset "Christ of the Andes"
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth,
the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep,
while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.
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to rule over the day and over the night,
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and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth."
* #26 So God created humankind in his image,
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and every tree with seed in its fruit;
you shall have them for food.
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Thus the heavens and the earth were finished,
and all their multitude.
And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done,
and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done.
So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it,
because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.
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Rev. 5/13/2008 3
PSALM: Psalm 8
1
O LORD our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!—
2
you whose glory is chanted above the heavens out of the mouths of infants and
children; you have set up a fortress against your enemies, to silence the foe and
avenger.
3
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,
4
what are mere mortals that you should be mindful of them,
human beings that you should care for them?
5
Yet you have made them little less than divine;
with glory and honor you crown them.
6
You have made them rule over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet:
7
all flocks and cattle,
even the wild beasts of the field,
8
the birds of the air, the fish of the sea,
and whatever passes along the paths of the sea.
9
O LORD our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
SECOND READING: 2 Corinthians 13:11–13
A reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
11
Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree
with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
12
Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.
13
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of
the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
GOSPEL: Matthew 28:16–20
The holy gospel according to Matthew. Glory to you, O Lord.
Rev. 5/13/2008 4
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had
directed them. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18And
Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to
me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey
everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the
end of the age.”
The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
16
SERMON
HYMN OF THE DAY ELW 412 Come, Join the Dance of Trinity
CREED
In celebration of God’s creation, let us confess our faith using Martin Luther's
meaning of the First Article of the Apostles' Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
What does this mean?
I believe that God created me, along with all creatures. He gave to me: my body
and soul, my eyes, ears and all the other parts of my body, my mind and all my
senses. He preserves them as well.
He gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and land, wife and
children, fields, animals and all I own. Every day he abundantly provides
everything I need to nourish this body and life.
He protects me against all danger. he shields and defends me from all evil. He
does all this because of his pure, fatherly and divine goodness and his mercy, not
because I've earned it or deserved it.
For all of this, I must thank him, praise him, serve him and obey him.
Yes, this is true!
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
With the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, let us pray for the church, those in
need, and all of God's creation.
Holy God, your goodness is present in all that you have made. Guide your church to
bear witness to your goodness for a world in need. Hear us, O God; your mercy is
great.
Rev. 5/13/2008 5
Your imagination is known in the diversity of your creatures. Preserve all plants and
animals, especially those nearing extinction. Hear us, O God; your mercy is great.
You create humankind in your image to live in relationship with one another. By
your mercy, lead us all to live in grace, love, and communion. Hear us, O God; your
mercy is great.
You send witnesses (like Erik, King of Sweden,) to care for the sick and the poor. Stir
up within us your compassion for all those in need, especially those we now name
out loud. Hear us, O God; your mercy is great.
You grant us wisdom by your gracious love. Bless those who teach in schools,
churches, and other institutions, that all knowledge may proclaim your goodness.
Hear us, O God; your mercy is great.
You gather the saints by your Spirit. Unite us with those who have died in Christ,
that we may all live in your eternal presence. Hear us, O God; your mercy is great.
And finally, we pray for ourselves, our spouses and companions, our family and
friends, and all those we love. Hear us, O God; your mercy is great.
Into your hands, gracious God, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your
mercy; through Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Amen.
PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you.
OFFERING
Seven elements will be presented by members of the congregation and placed upon the
Altar:
? money - the regular tithes and offerings;
? bread - preferably a home-baked loaf;
? wine - a bottle of table wine, rather than the usual Eucharistic wine;
? soil - a wooden or earthenware bowl of soil;
? water - in a clear vessel so that it may be seen;
? seed - a bowl of seed, or a basket of various packaged seeds (notice might be
given beforehand for people to bring their own garden seed to be blessed);
? crosses - a basket of small palm crosses.
As each element is received, an appropriate prayer is said:
Rev. 5/13/2008 6
At the presentation of money:
Accept, O Lord, our gifts of money, which represent the business of our daily lives:
Use them for the work of your church to carry out your mission; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
At the presentation of bread:
Almighty God our Savior, who in the carpenter's shop at Nazareth labored for daily
bread: Accept this bread which is both the fruit of our work and the satisfaction of
our needs, and so bless all our industry and necessity; for your sake. Amen.
At the presentation of wine:
We offer you, O Lord, this wine, the fruit of the vine: We pray that you will accept
it, that it may become for us the Blood of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
At the presentation of soil:
Almighty Creator, we offer to you this soil in token of the fields and forests of our
land on which we ask your blessing: We ask that the soil may be wholesome, the
crops good, and that we may be faithful stewards of your creation; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
At the presentation of water:
O God, who brought forth life out of the waters of creation: Bless this offering of
water and grant that there may be sufficient water to raise up good crops and to serve
the needs of our labors; and may we drink of the Living Water to bring forth the
fruit of godly living from the soil of our souls; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
At the presentation of seeds:
O Creator and Sustaining God, who by your wondrous providence made all grass,
herbs, and trees, each with seed after its own kind: Accept and bless our offering of
seed to be planted, that the life in all seed sown may burst forth into fullness of its
kind, according to your good creation, and especially the seed of your Word; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
At the presentation of crosses:
O God, whose Son has promised that we need only to ask in order to receive: Accept
and bless these crosses, and grant that in the fields where we place them they may
stand as a sign of our unfailing trust in your bounty and as encouragement to all who
see them to put their faith in your providence; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Rev. 5/13/2008 7
DIALOGUE
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise.
PREFACE
It is indeed right, our duty and our joy,
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God.
You reveal your glory
as the glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit:
equal in majesty, undivided in splendor, one Lord, one God,
ever to be adored in your eternal glory.
And so, with all the choirs of angels,
with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven,
we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
HOLY
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
Holy God, our Maker, Redeemer, and Healer,
in the harmonious world of your creation,
the plants and animals,
the seas and stars
were whole and well in your praise.
When sin had scarred the world,
you sent your Son to heal our ills
and to form us again into one.
In the night in which he was betrayed,
our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,
and gave it for all to drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Remembering, therefore,
his acts of healing,
his body given up,
and his victory over death,
we await that day when all the peoples of the earth
will come to the river to enjoy the tree of life.
Send your Spirit upon us and this meal:
as grains scattered on the hillside become one bread,
so let your Church be gathered from the ends of the earth,
that all may be fed with the Bread of life, your Son.
Through him all glory and honor is yours,
Almighty Father, with the Holy Spirit,
in your holy Church,
both now and forever.
Rev. 5/13/2008 8
Rev. 5/13/2008 9
LORD'S PRAYER
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
All good gifts come from God.
Come with gratitude to this table of bounty.
COMMUNION
COMMUNION REFLECTION SONG: ELW 881 Let All Things Now Living
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
O God, our provider,
you nourish us with holy food and drink,
and you open our hearts to the needs of others.
Refresh us with your Spirit,
that our words and deeds may proclaim
your creative and life-giving Word,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PROCESSION AND BLESSING OF THE GARDEN
Music: repeat as necessary
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures here below;
Praise God above, ye heav'nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Upon arriving at the garden:
Leader:
Let us turn to the WEST
the place of thunderstorms and darkness,
that we may face our fears in the darkness and suffering
and return to God, to the land that God has promised us.
We ask your blessing on the darkness and suffering in our lives
that there we may find strength and growth
and the Light of the World.
In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Rev. 5/13/2008 10
Let us turn to the NORTH,
the place of the cold winds and waiting,
that we may learn to wait with hope and eager longing
for the redemption and freedom of all creation.
We ask your blessing on these towns of Racine, Caledonia and Wind Point
where the love of Christ has taken root in many places
and particularly on this our congregation, St. Andrew Church
In the Name of the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Amen.
Let us turn to the EAST,
the place of the rising sun and beginning again,
in the resurrection certainty that God sends God's Spirit
to renew our lives and the face of the earth.
We ask your blessing on all that we are this day
the brokenness of our lives and the blessings,
and on this your good earth and all creation
that we may live together in harmony.
In the Name of the Life Giver, Pain Bearer, and Love Maker. Amen.
Let us turn to the SOUTH,
the place of the warm wind that encourages life,
asking that our lives and all creation
may grow in love and be fruitful.
We ask your blessing as we walk into the future
that we may be united in your love with all creation
and that we ourselves be fertile soil,
producing abundant growth rich in the fruits of the Spirit.
In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
DISTRIBUTION OF CROSSES
Children: Place Crosses at various points around the garden by sticking them in the dirt.
Rev. 5/13/2008 11
BLESSING
O God, who in your Holy Word has revealed to us your continual love and care
both in this life and in the life to come:
Guide and direct us in our labors here as stewards of your creation.
Bless the tools of our work
that by their good use we may bear fruit to your glory
and be diligent in our vocations;
Bless us with a healthy and plentiful crop in this garden.
Endow with skill and endurance those who work here,
giving them rich yields;
Bless these fields and all the crops that grow in our countryside;
may the soil be wholesome and the crops sound;
may the weather be favorable and the workers in good heart.
O gracious God, multiply the seed of the sower,
the bread of those who eat,
and the fruits of righteousness in all your people;
Bless the life of this community with your continual presence.
Grant that in every home your name may be hallowed and your will be done,
that our people may learn to love every neighbor and live godly lives;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Almighty and merciful God + bless, preserve, and keep you, this day and
forevermore. Amen.
SENDING SONG
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures here below;
Praise God above, ye heav'nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Live the gospel. Thanks be to God.